Great-grandmother accuses Filner

Peggy Shannon, a 67-year-old great-grandmother, came forward in a news conference Thursday to accuse San Diego Mayor Bob Filner of sexual harassment. She is the third woman represented by celebrity attorney Gloria Allred to make allegations against Filner.

Shannon, who works at the Senior Citizens Service Desk in San Diego City Hall, alleged that Filner hugged her, kissed her on the lips and repeatedly came by her desk to ask her out.

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Additionally, Allred said that Filner came by Shannon’s desk several months ago and asked, “Do you think I could go eight hours straight?”

“He was obviously not talking about work,” Allred added.

Following the initial sexual harassment allegations made against him, Filner responded in a video released July 11. “You have every right to be disappointed in me. I only ask that you give me an opportunity to prove I am capable of change,” Filner said at the time.

The next day, Filner “walked by Ms. Shannon, put his finger to his mouth and said ‘shhh,’” Allred said.

“Ms. Shannon felt that he was sending a message to her — that she better not talk about what he had done to her, or else.”

“I feel now that he was not sorry,” said Shannon, who called on Filner to resign.

Shannon filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Investigations Office on July 18 alleging that Filner had sexually harassed her and asking for the Mayor to apologize to her, according to Allred.

Allred said that Shannon, who has not received an apology from Filner, is currently waiting for the city to complete this investigation.

A local attorney, Kathryn Vaughn, also accused Filner of sexual harassment Thursday, a local CBS affiliate reported.

Vaughn told CBS that Filner “made an inappropriate movement on my body” at a public event 10 years ago.

Thursday’s allegations bring the number of women who have accused Filner of sexual harassment to as many as 16.

All nine members of the San Diego City Council, as well as many other state and federal figures, have called on Filner to resign.

Filner, however, has refused to do so. He said that he “failed to fully respect the women who work for me and with me,” but does not believe he is guilty of sexual harassment. Instead, Filner entered an intensive therapy program, which he completed over a week early according to Reuters.

An effort to recall Filner is also underway. Filner responded to the recall petition Monday in a statement printed by U-T San Diego.

“As your Mayor, I am committed to moving San Diego forward!” Filner wrote. He did not specifically address the sexual harassmet allegations made against him.